The Beginning
by Jennifer63
Summary: After graduation, Harry, Ron, Hermione as well as new characters head out into a war-torn world. RHr


The Beginning

A/N: This story takes place like the 5th book NEVER happened. So, Siruis is still alive and such and such. But, Harry and Ron are 18 and Hermione is soon to be 18 as well. Fred and George are 20...and so on. Some of these characters are of my own invention (Olivia) but I, in no way, take ownership of Harry Potter or anything to do with. That all came from the brilliant mind of J.K.!! Enjoy!!  
  
  
  
  
Prologue   
Ron opened the door to the apartment. It was green, well what paint was left on the door was green, and there was a brass number 9 screwed on to it at eye level. Hermione, Harry and Olivia crowded around him and looked into their new home. "It's....going to need a little work," Hermione managed to say.   
From the doorway, there was a small rusted kitchenette, further down the hall there was a tiny living room and then three doorways off the living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Harry stepped in, dragging his suitcases, tracking footprints along the dust covered floor. He smiled over his shoulder at his friends. "Well, welcome to the new digs." All three of them laughed and began to inspect the place.   
~~~~~~~~~~   
The War, as it had been called as it was too confusing and evil of a time to name it anything more, had raged on, unchecked, for almost 3 years. It was over now, finally over. The good witches and wizards of the world could finally feel free.   
During the course of the War, Voldemort had summoned many of his old followers, the Death Eaters had reunited once again and they terrorized everyone and everything in their path. It was a bloodbath for almost 4 months. Dumbledore, rest his soul, gathered a group of the most unusal creatures and humans alike that agreed to band together and fight this evil. Hagrid and the Giants, Lupin, Siruis, Harry and his friends, the Weasleys, many Hogwarts students who joined later on, after the school was destroyed, Professors and even some fo the creatures out of the Forbidden Forest and beyond all banded together. With their heart and courage they fought and fought until they were bound and broken, their spirits crushed on the rocks, and Voldemort was left to fight Dumbledore.   
Dumbledore defeated Voldemort but was left with injuries beyond repair. In his last moments, he looked Harry in the eye and told him to make sure Hogwarts was re-built and that children would always have a place to learn magic. Harry promised and intended to keep that promise until his dieing day.   
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Olivia, Ginny, Fred and George all graduated after the school was re-built with the resources they could find. The War was won and evil was once again defeated but not all was repaired, not all was good again. Many familiar faces perished, many precious buildings were destroyed, many spirits crushed.   
In the battles Hagrid died, defending his mother Fridwulfa, Corneilius Fude, the Minister of Magic, commmited suicide in the first year of the War, not being able to handle everything that was happening. Many others are gone forever, but their memories live on. Now is a time to rejoice and repair. Spirits are lifting and times are changing.   
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After Hogwarts was replaced, a new Headmaster hired, and students started to attend again, Harry's work was done. So he, and his friends decided to by a small apartment in a student housing devolpment until they could get back on their feet and find jobs. Siruis had offered them a place to stay. But Harry knew how small Siruis' house was, and how hard it would be for him to accomdate all four of them.   
Hermione clapped her hands together and smiled at Harry. "It's starting to look a bit like home isn't it?" She looked around proudly. She was wearing muggle clothes, overalls and a bandana, and was covered from head to toe in dust bunnies. She had been sweeping and dusting all morning trying to clean the place up. "It looks great, Hermione," Harry commented.   
Ron walked in and grabbed an apple from the fridge, tossing it into the air, catching it and taking a large bite. "Mind yourself, Ron! I've just been cleaning!" Hermione tried to look stearn, but couldn't resist when Ron had a large bit of apple clinging to his chin. He grinned at her winningly, "And it looks fantastic. Just like an apartment should." Hermione walked over and brushed the apple off his chin. Ron bent down and kissed her on the top of the head. She smiled and leaned her head against his chest.   
Harry was happy for his friends and that they had found what they had together but sometimes it just felt...odd. He remembered the days when they had bickered non-stop but the War had just made everyone grow up too fast. And here were Ron and Hermione, happily engaged and Harry watching them, alone as always, and only, just little jealous. Only a little bit..   
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Olivia Weathers was an aspiring journalist, with an internship at the Daily Prophet. She had come to help with the War at its very beginnings and along the way had met Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Fred and George Weasley who were all friends that were more like family. After the War, Hermione had asked her if she wanted to find a place with her, Ron and Harry and she had said "yes". She didn't even have to think about it. They were family. They had fought through blood, bone, and evil together. Nothing could bring you closer to someone. They had all suffered, a piece of all of them had died. But now it was time to live. And that, she intended to do.   
  
  
Chapter One   
Hermione and Olivia got ready for bed in the room they shared. "Hermione, can I tell you something?" Olivia whispered across the room from her single bed with a huge purple fuzzy duvet. Hermione nodded, even though it was too dark for Ollie to see. "What is it?"   
She tried, oh she tried, but God help her, she couldn't supress a giggle. It just burst from her lips. It still felt so odd to laugh, after everything that had happened..."Well, George asked me out...out on a date." Olivia burst into a fit of giggles and Hermione couldn't help it, she giggled to. They were acting like teenagers, she thought. Then had to remind herself that they still were...it was hard to remember that sometimes. She just felt so old..."You devil! Did you say yes?"   
Ollie sat up, her eyes wide, with a huge smile on her face. "Well you know me, I was a little shocked. And the poor fellow thought I was going to say no, so his ears went all red. You know, like Rons!" Hermione burst out laughing at this, and had to muffle her laughter with her pillow as to not wake up Ron and Harry in the room next to theirs.   
"Anyways," continued Ollie, "He goes all stuttery, saying he's sorry, maybe he was mistaken. And I basically launch myself onto him saying "No! No! I want to go!" We just looked at eachother and burst out laughing. And then he called me a "little corkhead.""   
"Oh Ollie. You find the biggest charmers," Hermione tried to be sarcastic with a big grin on her face.   
Olivia sighed dramatacally. "I know, but he'll have to do for now, don't you think? You know what I though? If we get married, we'll be sisters!! You'll be my baby's auntie!! I'll be your baby's auntie!!"   
"Whoa, whoa. Hold it there! Aren't you flying ahead a little bit? You haven't even gone on your first date yet and your already planning the wedding. And who says I'm going to have a baby?" Hermione looked at her smugly from across the room.   
"Oh, you will. You and Ron won't be able to keep your hands off eachother much longer."   
Olivia dodged the large fluffy blue pillow that was launched at her from Hermione's corner of the room.   
~~~~~~~~~~   
"Harry, you still awake?" Ron whispered into the dark. He looked over at his alarm clock and groaned. It was 1:30 am. "How could I not be?" Came the reply, "Those girls won't stop giggling!" Ron laughed and rolled over. His and Harry's bed were seperated by two dressers, so he peered into the dark to make out Harry's face. "George and Fred are having a party in their apartment tomorrow. We're all invited. They said if we don't come, they're coming up to get us."   
Harry smiled, "Sounds like fun. I heard George and Olivia are a hott item now. George told me he asked her out for dinner this afternoon." Ron nodded, recalling having the same conversation with George. It wasn't often George had a girlfriend. Usually it was Fred with all the girls. "Yeah, they go great together. They're both nut heads." Ron said, not being able to find the right word to define the pair.   
"I wonder what's going on out there." Harry gestured to the closed door of their bedroom. "In the living room?" Ron asked, his brows drawn together. "No, out in the world. I wonder how Hogwarts is running. I should check tomorrow. I wonder how your Dad is doing at the Ministry, and I wonder how many of those Death Eaters they've got behind bars...and how many are still free." His fingers curled around his sheets, squeezing tightly. Rons look softened, "Everythings alright. But you reminded me, I should check up on Dad tomorrow. Maybe we could go in, give him a hand sorting this whole mess up."   
After Cornelius Fudge had comitted suicide, Arthur Weasley had been appointed to stand in until a new Minister could be found. Arthur was getting close to his retiring days, and had had a bit of a shock when he was taken off the battle fields of the war and into the cushy office to fix everything Fudge had messed up. Molly, Ron's mum, had written, saying how Arthur hadn't slept a full 9 hours, or eaten a full meal in a month. "We'll write him tomorrow. G'night Ron," said Harry groggily as sleep finally caught up with him.   
"Night Harry." Ron rolled over and was asleep in minutes.   
  
A/N: Well, I hope you like it. Feel free to compliment/criticise/give me some ideas for upcoming chapters!!


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